Happy Birthday, Ron
by dutchtulips
Summary: R/Hr. on Ron's sixteenth, Hermione gives him a very special present. . .


SD ~ JKR owns it. I just play.

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Happy Birthday, Ron

-dutchtulips-

Hogwarts castle. The halls were mostly empty, with the exception of a few students still roaming about. Classes had ended nearly ten minutes ago, and usually Ron Weasley would have already been gone, up in Gryffindor tower, shoes kicked off and stretching out with the latest issue of _Quidditch Weekly _and a bar of chocolate. Except on this particular - _very_ particular as it would turn out - day, he was just now leaving, after having to stay after class with one of his teachers.

"That barmy Professor Binns," Ron grumbled. History of Magic had been his last class, but already Ron had had a long day. Already he had piles of homework waiting for him, and now - because he had been caught snoozing in History of Magic - Professor Binns was making him do an essay over what had been discussed in class.

It was a pleasant Friday afternoon, plenty of sunlight. It had been just the day Ron would have liked to lounge out by the lake with his magazine, enjoying the warm, fresh air. Staring longingly out a window he passed by, Ron grumbled to himself, "Of course. Just my luck. It's nice outside and I have twenty years' worth of bloody homework."

He adjusted the strap on his rucksack as he came upon the Fat Lady. "Password?" She droned.

Ron blinked, his annoyance momentarily blocking his memory. He scratched his head, ruffling his shaggy red hair. "Er. . .Goose Feather."

The portrait frame popped open and Ron climbed awkwardly through. He looked around, puzzled. The common room was completely empty. Putting down his bag, he said loudly, "Hey, where is everybody?"

The next moment, there was a loud bang - George had set off a Filibuster - and everyone popped out from nowhere, yelling, "Surprise!"

Ron blinked a few times. "Bloody hell, I forgot it was my birthday."

Harry suddenly appeared, holding out a long thin parcel to his best friend. "Well, it is! Happy Birthday, mate."

Fred and George popped up next. "We couldn't forget out little brother's birthday!" Fred exclaimed. "And, hey, we've _tried_." They handed him both sloppily wrapped gifts. 

After that, Neville, Seamus, Dean, Ginny, and everyone else started handing over their presents. As Ron sat down with them all and looked around, he noticed someone was missing.

"Hey, where's Hermione?"

"Hi, Ron," a soft voice said.

He twisted around to see that Hermione had just dropped down next to him on the red velvet sofa. As he looked at her, Ron noticed she looked different than usual. Her brown hair was pulled back into a long braid, ending with a green and black taffeta bow, and she was wearing a white cotton dress and a sweeping smile.

"Well go on, open up your presents!" She beamed.

Ron blinked for a few moments, smiled at her, and obliged. 

~*~

It had been quite an eventful night. It was a little after midnight and the birthday party had finally broken up. Honeydukes' candy wrappers, bits of confetti and broken streamers, and gift wrap lay all around. Ron, the only one who was still up, was sitting alone on the sofa where he had been, next to a tall pile of unwrapped presents. Among the candy, books, and Chudley Cannons memorabilia that lay there, there was one particular gift that stuck out. 

Picking it up, holding the gleaming thing in his hands, Ron couldn't stop beaming. "I can't believe Harry got me Tsunami! It's the best broom next to the Firebolt!"

A voice from behind him suddenly said, "Believe it."

He turned around quickly, seeing Hermione picking up some candy wrappers that had been strewn on the floor. "Where'd you disappear off to?"

She smiled. "Oh, I was here."

Ron laid the broomstick aside, smiling. "Really, now?"

Hermione tossed the debris in the bin and joined him on the sofa, carefully avoiding the stack of gifts. "Yes. I was having fun watching you have fun with all of your presents."

He laughed suddenly. "Even Fred and George finally gave me something decent this year." He held up two boxes of Chocolate Frog trading cards. 

"Well, it's not everyday one turns sixteen," she smiled.

Ron scratched his head thoughtfully. "Well, yeah, actually it probably is. . .after all, babies are born everyday, and. . ." 

Hermione giggled. 

He shrugged sheepishly. "I, uh, I like what you've done with your hair."

"Oh, oh yeah," She stammered, fumbling her fingers in her plait. "Parvati did it for me."

Ron sort of nodded and looked back down at his gifts. A thought struck him. "Hey, I never got your present."

"Well, I. . ." Hermione looked down a moment, rummaging through her pocket. "I wanted to wait until it was just you and me." She extended him a small burgundy box.

"Hmm. . ." He looked at it a moment, and then shook it gently. "Too small to be a Hungarian Horntail. . ."

She rolled her eyes in amusement. "Just open it, you silly git."

Ron shrugged comically. "All right." He lifted the small lid. A long thin golden chain lay inside, with a tiny gold-plated key strung on it. His brow furrowed. "What is it, 'Mione?"

She was smiling. "Look closer."

He gently picked it out of the box and stared intently at the key. In the center, minute letters formed the word _Hermione. _"I, uh, I still don't get it."

Hermione sort of smiled. "Well, I've had it for a long while now. I never found anyone I wanted to give it to. But finally, after a little while, I decided that you should have it."

"I see." Ron was still confused. 

To his surprise, she laughed and said, "Here, Ron, I'll explain." Hermione moved closer, brushing the gifts to the other side of the sofa so that she could sit directly next to him. She took hold of his outstretched fingers to look at the key. Then she spoke.

"See, Ron. It's a very important key. It controls something very precious. And I'm trusting you to keep it," Hermione whispered, closing Ron's fingers over the key. Their eyes locked. "So, in other words, what this key empowers, well. . .it's _you_ who has control over this precious thing."

He stared into her cinnamon brown eyes. "I. . .I. . ."

She was still smiling. "Yes, I figured that'd be the answer. Turn it over."

Ron blinked and stared down at his hand. Gently, he flipped the key over in his palm. As he brought it closer to his eyes, he could make out a small shape carved there, a small shape that could only be -

"Yes," Hermione said as Ron looked up at her. "It's the key to my heart."

A moment passed, and then a smile began to form on his face. He closed his hand tightly over the key, as if his fingers were giving it a hug. Ron picked it and the chain out of his palm and, with Hermione beaming at him, hooked it around his neck.

He fingered it a moment, and then looked up at her, smiling. "So, how's it look?"

She looked as if she were on the verge of tears. "Wonderful." Pause. "I gave it to the right person."

Ron reached over and put a hand on Hermione's shoulder. "I'll always cherish it, 'Mione. I'll forever take care of it. Keep it safe. Keep it close. And no matter how bad things may get, know that it's there."

By the look on her face she understand what he was really saying. Hugging him hard, Hermione said quietly, "I'm glad you like it."

Ron whispered against her shoulder, "It's the best present anyone's ever given me, 'Mione."

"You really mean that?" She replied as they broke apart.

" 'Course I do," he told her. "I'm. . .I'm glad that it was me you picked to give me your key."

"Correction," Hermione said. "It's _your_ key now."

Ron beamed. "Thanks, 'Mione." Pause. "Hey, you know what? Tomorrow morning, before breakfast, you and me are going to go down to the Quidditch field and take a ride on my new broom."

She raised her eyebrows, amused. "I thought my key was you favorite gift!"

"It can be, er. . ." He tapped a finger against his chin, and then his eyes lit up. "Our first date!"

"A broomstick ride?"

Ron shook his head enthusiastically. 

"Can I have my key back?" 

His face fell, but as Hermione giggled, he started to laugh with her. Eventually Ron's arms went round her as they were still snickering, and they remained that way for a very long while as they relished in each other's company.

****

el fin 


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